Thermal activation device for heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheet and a printer assembly

Abstract

A thermal activation device has a thermal head having heat generating elements for thermally activating a heat-sensitive adhesive layer of a heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheet. The heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheet has a sheet-like substrate having a printable surface on a first side thereof and the heat-sensitive adhesive layer on a second side thereof. An energy control device controls the thermal head by applying one or more voltage pulses to the heat generating elements for energizing the heat generating elements to thereby thermally activate an area of the heat-sensitive self-adhesive layer in one step. When a series of the voltage pulses are applied to the heat generating elements, the energy control device selectively switches between the heat generating elements to be energized by the voltage pulses each time one of the voltage pulses is applied.

1. A thermal activation device for a heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheet, the thermal activation device comprising: thermally-activating heating means including a thermal head having an array of individually and controllably energized heat generating elements for thermally activating a heat-sensitive adhesive layer of a heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheet comprised of a sheet-like substrate having a printable surface on a first side thereof and the heat-sensitive adhesive layer on a second side thereof; and energy control means for controlling the thermally-activating heating means by applying one or more voltage pulses to the heat generating elements of the thermal head for energizing the heat generating elements to thereby thermally activate an area of the heat-sensitive self-adhesive layer of the heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheet in one step; wherein when a plurality of the voltage pulses are applied to the heat generating elements by the energy control means to thermally activate the area of the heat-sensitive self-adhesive layer, the energy control means selectively switches between the heat generating elements to be energized by the voltage pulses each time one of the voltage pulses is applied. 
   
   
     2. A thermal activation device for a heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheet according to  claim 1 ; wherein the energy control means includes means for selecting any of dot regions of the area of the heat-sensitive self-adhesive layer and for applying thereto either a first energy or a second energy higher than the first energy. 
   
   
     3. A thermal activation device for a heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheet according to  claim 1 ; wherein the energy control means comprises defining means for defining application conditions corresponding to at least one of a magnitude, width, and number of application times of the voltage pulse to be applied, and selecting means for selecting the heat generating element or elements to be energized each time the voltage pulse is applied. 
   
   
     4. A thermal activation device for a heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheet according to  claim 3 ; further comprising storage means for storing information corresponding to a thermal activation pattern for thermally activating the heat-sensitive self-adhesive layer of the heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheet; wherein the defining means and the selecting means respectively defines the application conditions and selects the heat generating element or elements to be energized in accordance with the thermal activation pattern stored in the storage means. 
   
   
     5. A thermal activation device for a heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheet according to  claim 3 ; further comprising measuring means for measuring an ambient temperature in the vicinity of the area where the heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheet is thermally activated by the thermally-activating heating means; and wherein the defining means defines the application conditions in accordance the temperature measured by the temperature measuring means. 
   
   
     6. A printer assembly comprising: a thermal activation device for a heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheet according to  claim 1 ; printing means for printing on the printable surface of the heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheet; and a single control unit for controlling operation of each of the thermal activation device and the printing means. 
   
   
     7. A thermal activation device comprising:
 a thermal head having a plurality of heat generating elements for thermally activating a heat-sensitive adhesive layer of a heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheet having a printable first surface and a second surface containing the heat-sensitive adhesive layer; and  
 energy control means for controlling energization of the heat generating elements of the thermal head by applying one or more voltage pulses to the heat generating elements to thereby thermally activate a preselected area of the heat-sensitive self-adhesive layer of the heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheet in a single step.  
 
   
   
     8. A thermal activation device according to  claim 7 ; wherein the heat-sensitive adhesive layer of the heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheet is formed of a heat-sensitive adhesive comprised of a thermoplastic resin. 
   
   
     9. A thermal activation device according to  claim 7 ; wherein the energy control means comprises defining means for defining application conditions corresponding to at least one of a Magnitude, width, and number of application times of the voltage pulse to be applied, and selecting means for selecting the heat generating element to be energized each time the voltage pulse is applied by the energy control means. 
   
   
     10. A thermal activation device according to  claim 9 ; further comprising storage means for storing information corresponding to a thermal activation pattern for thermally activating the heat-sensitive self-adhesive layer of the heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheet; wherein the defining means and the selecting means respectively defines the application conditions and selects the heat generating element to be energized in accordance with the thermal activation pattern stored in the storage means. 
   
   
     11. A thermal activation device according to  claim 9 ; further comprising measuring means for measuring an ambient temperature in the vicinity of the preselected area where the heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheet is thermally activated; and wherein the defining means defines the application conditions in accordance the temperature measured by the measuring means. 
   
   
     12. A printer assembly comprising: a thermal activation device according to  claim 7 ; and a printer unit for printing on the printable surface of the heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheet. 
   
   
     13. A printer assembly according to  claim 12 ; wherein the thermal activation device further comprises a thermally activating platen roller disposed opposite to and confronting the heat generating elements of the thermal head, and an insertion roller for conveying the heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheet from the printing unit to the thermal activation device and for introducing the heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheet between the thermally activating platen roller and the heat generating elements of the thermal head. 
   
   
     14. A printer assembly according to  claim 12 ; further comprising a single control unit for controlling operation of each of the thermal activation device and the printing means. 
   
   
     15. A printer assembly according to  claim 12 ; wherein the printing unit has a thermal head identical in construction as the thermal head of the thermal activation device. 
   
   
     16. A thermal activation device comprising:
 a thermal head having a plurality of heat generating elements for thermally activating a heat-sensitive adhesive layer of a heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheet having a printable first surface and a second surface containing the heat-sensitive adhesive layer; and  
 energy control means for controlling energization of the heat generating elements of the thermal head by applying a plurality of voltage pulses to the heat generating elements while selectively switching between the heat generating elements to be energized by the voltage pulses each time one of the voltage pulses is applied to thereby thermally activate a preselected area of the heat-sensitive self-adhesive layer of the heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheet.  
 
   
   
     17. A thermal activation device according to  claim 16 ; wherein the energy control means comprises defining means for defining application conditions corresponding to at least one of a magnitude, width, and number of application times of the voltage pulse to be applied, and selecting means for selecting the heat generating element to be energized each time the voltage pulse is applied by the energy control means. 
   
   
     18. A thermal activation device according to  claim 17 ; further comprising storage means for storing information corresponding to a thermal activation pattern for thermally activating the heat-sensitive self-adhesive layer of the heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheet; wherein the defining means and the selecting means respectively defines the application conditions and selects the heat generating element to be energized in accordance with the thermal activation pattern stored in the storage means. 
   
   
     19. A thermal activation device according to  claim 17 ; further comprising measuring means for measuring an ambient temperature in the vicinity of the preselected area where the heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheet is thermally activated; and wherein the defining means defines the application conditions in accordance the temperature measured by the measuring means. 
   
   
     20. A printer assembly comprising: a thermal activation device according to  claim 16 ; and a printer unit for printing on the printable surface of the heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheet.